The Waving Solace

A Short Film

Open field - DUSK

CURTIS, a young boy of around thirteen or fourteen is sitting cross-legged in a field.  His hair curls slightly upward around the perimeter of his head.  He slowly rises and looks out into the open field.

CURTIS

(Softly)

It's only been a week...

(Pauses)

But it feels like a century.

Curtis walks forward, his head looking to the ground.  He feels a hand on his shoulder.

Julie (O.C.)

It's okay, Curtis.  We all miss her.

JULIE is CURTIS' girlfriend.  Her hair is long and brown.  She is behind him and throws her arms around his stomach, resting her chin on his shoulder.  They both look out onto the horizon at the setting sun.

CURTIS

It just makes me mad, you know?  Why her?  Why Mom?

JULIE

I know Curtis.  Your mom was a sweet woman.

JULIE lets go, and goes to the front of Curtis.  She takes his hands into hers.

JULIE (CONT'D)

But, we have each other.

CURTIS

Thanks, Julie.

They both share a short kiss and JULIE goes in for a hug.  As they hug, CURTIS still looks out into the open. 

CURTIS suddenly notices a clump of high bushes in the distance.  He looks intrigued.

JULIE lets go and looks at CURTIS.  She notices his eyes looking behind her, so she looks too.

JULIE

What is it?

CURTIS

Those bushes.  I've never seen them before.

JULIE examines them.

JULIE

Odd... me either.

CURTIS

Do you want to go check it out?

JULIE takes a moment to think.

JULIE

Sure.  What harm could it do?

The two wander cautiously into the distance towards the bushes.

CUT TO:

EXT. Bushes

JULIE and CURTIS reach the bushes.  They are right outside of them, and they are tall, like hedges.  The two look nervously at the hedges and then at each other.

CURTIS

This is just weird.  I swore I haven't seen these.

JULIE

Yeah, I know.

The two examine the bushes more.  They feel the leaves and size it up.

CURTIS

Maybe we should see what's on the other side.

The two look into the bushes together, and in unison look back at each other.

JULIE

I guess we could.

CURTIS parts the leaves and struggles to step through.  JULIE follows.

CUT TO:

INT. WAVING SOLACE

CURTIS steps out of the brush first.  He looks around wide eyed.  JULIE then steps through.

JULIE

Ugh, I got poked, like, fifty times.

JULIE looks at the expression on CURTIS' face.

JULIE

What?  What's wro-

Before she can finish, she too looks out into the distance and stares at the scene played out.

Pan across area

Vast gardens of flowers span the area.  Long, waving grass flows like rivers as soft winds blow.  You can see the fluttering of many insects that invade the area.  A pond trickles as the sun reflects off of the surface. A WOMAN is seen working in a small patch of flowers.  She looks around the age of sixty or fifty, old in retrospect.

CURTIS

Oh, my god.  What is this place?

JULIE

(Nervously)

I think we're in someone's yard!  Look at that lady!

CAMERA cuts to WOMAN.  She looks up and sees the two.

WOMAN

Hello, there!  Please, come here!

CURTIS and JULIE look at each other apprehensively.  CURTIS makes a quick nod, and the two slowly approach the WOMAN. 

JULIE

(Nervously)

Um... hi.

WOMAN

Hello, dear.  What's your name?

JULIE

I'm Julie.  This is my boyfriend, Curtis.

CuRTIS

(Waving his hand)

Hi, there.

JULIE

(Quickly Spoken)

Are we interrupting, or trespassing?  I'm terribly sorry!

WOMAN

Oh!  No, no!  Not at all!  I just love working out here.

The WOMAN looks blissfully around the area.

JULIE

Where is here?

WOMAN

Oh, well, this is the Waving Solace.  It's just a big garden of sorts.

JULIE and CURTIS look around the Waving Solace.

JULIE

This is really nice.  Is it yours?

WOMAN

Oh, no.  But, it's sort of a community service to work here.

CURTIS

Is this new or something?  I haven't seen it before.

WOMAN

Well... No.  And yes. 

CURTIS

Huh?

WOMAN

(Laughs)

Oh, don't worry about it.  You two just look around if you'd like.  You may find it quite calming.

CURTIS

Thanks.

WOMAN

No problem there, Curty.

CURTIS' eyes suddenly go large. 

CURTIS

(To Self)

Curty?

CUT TO:

INT. CURTIS' KITCHEN - Flashback a few years

CURTIS is sitting at the table.  He looks to be now around the age of five.  His MOTHER is working over a stove.  She looks back at him.  CURTIS smiles at his mother.  His MOTHER smiles at him.

MOTHER

Dinner will be ready in just a second, Curty.

CURTIS smiles again.

DISSOLVE TO:

Int. waving solace

Curtis is smiling when the dissolve finishes, just like in the flashback.  JULIE looks at CURTIS.

JULIE

What is it?

CURTIS

Uh...

(Snaps Out of Daze)

Nothing.

JULIE and CURTIS begin looking around.  CAMERA cuts back and fourth between the two checking out the different aspects of the Waving Solace.  They look at things such as wildlife, plants, the pond and many other things.

CURTIS is checking out a bright red flower when he hears the WOMAN humming a tune. 

CAMERA CUTS TO WOMAN HUMMING.

CUT TO:

InT. outside curtis' house - day

Curtis' MOTHER is working outside in the garden.  She is humming the same tune as the WOMAN.  CURTIS is still around five, and he is standing behind his mother, listening to her humming. 

DiSSOLVE TO:

INT. WAVING SOLACE

WOMAN is still humming as CURTIS snaps back to life.  He looks around nervously and looks into the sky.  In his ears, clips of his mother talking plays in his head such as:

MOTHER

I love you, Curtiy.

MOTHER

It'll be okay, sweetie.

MOTHER

I'll love you forever.

CURTIS walks forward slowly and lays in a patch of grass.  He sighs and looks up into the sky.  He turns on his side and plays with a piece of grass. 

Julie (O.C.)

May I join you?

Curtis

Yeah, please.

The two lay in the grass.  CURTIS lays on his back along with JULIE.  The two hold hands as they look into the sky.

JULIE

I know you miss her a lot.

CURTIS

I can't help but wonder where she is.

JULIE points into the sky.

JULIE

Right where she belongs.

CURTIS

I hope so.

There is a long silence as the two take in the beauty of the moment. 

Curtis (CONT'D)

You know... it's okay.

JULIE

What is?

CURTIS

That... well, my mom's dead.  It's okay.

JULIE

Oh.

CURTIS

I realized something.  No matter where I go... she's always with me.

JULIE

And,

(Points to the sky again)

She's always watching.

The two sit up.  CURTIS holds her.

CURTIS

I love you, Julie.

JULIE

I love you, too, Curtis.

CURTIS reluctantly lets go and takes one last look at the sky.

CURTIS

We better go.

JULIE

Yeah, it's getting kind of late.

The two stand up and begin to walk back to the hedges.

JULIE

(To WOMAN)

Thank you so much for letting us stay here!

WOMAN

Oh, don't worry!  It was quite alright. 

CURTIS

Will you always be here?

WOMAN

Well, no.  A woman's gotta move on.

CURTIS

Oh.

WOMAN

But, I'm always in your memories.  And you can come back to the Waving Solace anytime you feel down.

CURTIS

Thanks.

WOMAN

No problem. 

WOMAN winks at him.

CURTIS

(Softly)

No problem, Mom....

JULIE and CURTIS walk through the hedges.  CAMERA cuts back to WOMAN.  She smiles, and continues working.  CAMERA zooms out to final overhead view of the Waving Solace.  Shot finally dissolves to empty field at same angle. 

FADE TO BLACK.

END